Weeks 45 & 46 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

I was in the Netherlands last weekend, ministering in Hope Utrecht. It was a joy to see Bro. Albert fervently building God's church while working full-time and raising up 2 young children with his wife Sis. Claire. God blesses them with 2 lovely kids, Samuel and Salome who will be respectively 3 & 1 year old on the same birthday of 14 Dec.!

I witnessed firsthand the challenges they face on a daily basis - 2 very demanding kids, a full-time job and church work. I am humbled by their persevering spirit and fighting attitude . Besides building the church in Utrecht, Albert & Claire are also blessing Hope Europe by respectively leading the IT & Intercessory Departments. God's love must have touched them in a very deep and special way, causing them to love God with all their might and to suffer for Him joyfully!

I salute men & women like them, trying their utmost to build God's church under very trying circumstances, esp. in a tough ground like Europe. I am thankful to be a part of the Hope family where we see countless examples serving God with the same dedication. God must be so real in their lives!

When God is real in our lives, we cannot help but to praise Him. "Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above......Praise the LORD from the earth.......kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.......Praise the LORD." [Ps 148:1-14 NIV] Let every man and woman praise Him.

When God is real in our lives, we should take His word seriously. To me, the 10 commandments are both timeless & universal. They are so simple, yet so profound. "I am the LORD your God.....You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything........You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.........Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy......Honor your father and your mother.......You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet.....anything that belongs to your neighbor." [Exod 20:2-17 NIV] Let every man and woman obey Him.

Apostle Paul has lived a life of obedience in Christ. Towards the end of his earthly life, he reminded his disciples how he has laboured for God's church, as an example for all of us who are church leaders. ".....You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you.......I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." [Acts 20:18-35 NIV] No wonder Paul challenged us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, because the Lord has paid for it with His own blood!

Let us be a fool for Jesus, but not a fool of the world because "A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions. A fool's lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating. A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul." [Prov 18:2,6-7 NIV]

Amen.

Weeks 42 - 44 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

Sometime ago, I made a pledge to train for the London Marathon in May 2009, after I turned 60. You may wonder about my progress. It is about 6 months since I started "running" (at jogging pace) again. My training is done on a 4 km route near our house. The first time I had to walk home. Then I did it within 30 minutes. Now I train every morning, and my best time was 27.5 minutes (quite slow by most standards - but speed to me is not important). My goal is to do the Marathon in under 5 hours. This works out to be just under 28 minutes every 4 km. It is easy for 4 km :o). It is something else for 42.18 km :o(.

The training gives me great insight into our human nature. When I attended the Apostolic Fellowship International in Italy at the end of September, I stopped training for a few days. After I came back to London, my first "run" was a real struggle. It took me a few days to get back to normal.

I once shared that our walk with God is like a salmon swimming upstream against the current. We need to keep moving forward. Stopping results in backsliding. My marathon training proved it. Moving forward requires determined and conscientious efforts!

I know not everyone is mad like me, trying to run a marathon. But I do encourage everyone to have a sustainable walk with God. God's word in [Rom. 5(3-4)] "......rejoice in our sufferings, because.....suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope" come to mind. God has a purpose in everything, including suffering!

Hence it is good to praise the Lord. ".....How good it is to sing praises to our God......He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit......The LORD sustains the humble.........." [Ps 147:1-6 NIV]

God truly sustains the humble. When "The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."........As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up-- one on one side, one on the other-- so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.......Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner." [Exod 17:8-15 NIV]

The Lord is our Banner and He gives us victory. We see many examples of the Lord giving the apostles victory over the enemy in the Book of Acts. The worst enemy is death. The story goes that "In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha.......who was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying.......Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up." [Acts 9:36-42 NIV] Peter's faith gives me hope to persevere. If the Lord can raise the dead, He can help me to "run" 42.18 km in under 5 hours. :o)

God says ".......listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise......Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD......." [Prov 8:23,27,30-36 NIV]

Amen!